As expected, Daimler and BMW announced Wednesday that they planned to merge their mobility services, in a move that will create a car-sharing giant with a commanding footprint across the world’s major cities. The plan underscores how scale considerations in new automotive business areas are forcing major competitors to collaborate in the face of strong Read More..

Mercedes-Benz will offer a flat rate to customers wanting to switch cars during the year, in a pilot project with two German dealer groups, Lueg and Beresa. The German premium car brand said the rate, which includes insurance, maintenance, repair and tires, will let customers drive as many as 36,000 kilometers a year in up Read More..

Volkswagen Group’s IT department is further developing its expertise in digital customer offerings. The world’s biggest car group has doubled the staff of its Digital Lab in Berlin since the facility opened in October 2016. It now has 70 IT experts at the lab, which is part of a global network of competence centers VW Read More..

Delphi on Tuesday officially spun off its powertrain division and launched Aptiv, which groups the US supplier’s connectivity operations. A second company, Delphi Technologies, will henceforth include all powertrain-related components and systems. Aptiv, which will be headquartered in Gillingham, England, and employ 147,000 people worldwide, will be headed by former Delphi CEO Kevin Clark. The Read More..

Like most of the world’s carmakers, Volkswagen is turning itself into a mobility provider with a range of new businesses and business models. That’s not an easy task with 12 brands and more than 600,000 employees worldwide. In an interview with automotiveIT, Johann Jungwirth, the Volkswagen Group’s chief digital officer, explains how he is moving Read More..

The annual CES consumer electronics show will take place in Las Vegas January 9 through 12, with, once again, strong participation from the automotive industry. Ford Motor CEO Jim Hackett will deliver a keynote address in Las Vegas on Tuesday morning January 9. Lyft co-founder and president John Zimmer will address a January 10 dinner Read More..